


It's Miraculous, Really

by teenytinydaisydukes



Category: Miraculous Ladybug, miraculous:tales of ladybug and cat noir
Genre: Drabble Series, F/M, alphabet soup drabbles, read if you love your fluff cavities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-05-01 02:33:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5188829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teenytinydaisydukes/pseuds/teenytinydaisydukes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Marinette and Adrien learn the ABC's of friendship, love, and life. Drabble series. One alphabet letter, one word, one drabble.| ii: Babbling. Three simple words is all it takes for her to dissolve into a bumbling mess. | iii: Cuddles. If she cuddles closer to him than she'd normally let herself, well, she'd blame it on the fact that she was cold and very, very tired. iv: Date. She turns fifteen tomorrow. What a shame she has to spend the night before her birthday with such a wonderfully annoying cat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i. Advance: ⑴ to go or move something forward ⑵ to develop or improve something. (Given by a tumblr anon.)

If she had half as much confidence as Marinette as she does when she’s Ladybug, she would have asked Adrien out by now. Actually, she probably would have asked Adrien out way,  _way_  before now.

But, as it stands, it’s a struggle to even remember to breathe whenever she tries to approach him, let alone when their eyes meet after she manages to call out his name while he’s leaving school.

_Come on, Marinette!_ she thinks to herself, heart racing in her chest, cheeks warm and red.  _Say something!_

“Um.” That’s it. That’s all that manages to tumble out from behind her garbled tongue.

She groans internally.

Adrien Agreste waits patiently for her to continue, and she swears she has every intention of doing so, but she forgets what she is trying to say when he tilts his head a little to the right, his hair shifting gently from the small movement and glowing in the afternoon sunshine.

Her fingers brush lightly against her purse (an instinctual move on her part), and she does her best to speak.

“I-I was... wondering...” Her throat is suddenly dry, so Marinette gulps. “W-Wondering if you wanted... t-to, uh...”

She’s screaming inside her mind right now, but when she slips her hand inside her purse and her fingertips brush gently against Tikki’s hidden form inside, Marinette takes a deep breath and plows ahead into uncertain territory. “I was -- d-do you want to grab coffee?” 

She belatedly taps on a “Together?” when a small silence ensues her question. All the next possible scenarios play out in her mind in just a fraction of a moment: Adrien rejecting her, Adrien telling her he only wants to be friends, Adrien reciprocating her feelings--

Adrien smiles, and it stops her thoughts in their tracks, because her mind’s imaginary Adrien can’t possibly compete with the real thing.

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

“Great!” she says a little too enthusiastically. She realizes it’s a little too enthusiastically, and says in a more tame voice, “Great.”

Adrien’s smile widens, and she can’t contain the giggles that sneak their way out of her throat, bubbly and giddy and releasing all the tension and worry she’s been holding on to until now. 

She asked him out. Not on a date, technically, but still. And he  _agreed!_

She is one lucky bug.

Adrien strikes up a mostly one-sided conversation (though she contributes when she’s not absolutely floored by his face and voice and character) and leads the way. She’s reminded that this is an improvement from yesterday, because yesterday, she didn’t have the courage to talk to him like this. This is a small advancement in her relationship with the love of her life. This is progress. This is growth.

As they walk to a nearby cafe, Marinette prays that this is one small step forward of many for her and Adrien.


	2. ii: Babbling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three simple words is all it takes for her to dissolve into a bumbling mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ii: Babbling: ⑴ The action or fact of speaking in a foolish, incoherent, or indiscreet manner; prattling ⑵ The utterance of inarticulate or unintelligible sounds; rudimentary speech

"Good morning, Marinette!" 

Three words.

That’s all it takes. Literally all. It. Takes. And suddenly she feels like the ground’s vanished from underfoot, and she’s free-falling, and it’s oh-so-exhilirating (because he’s  _looking_  at her and  _talking_  to her) and oh-so-terrifying (because what if her expression looks weird, or what if she says something dumb?) and so she tries to say something cool, tries to strike a cute pose.

But she’s frozen in place, mouth agape, eyes wide and staring at Adrien.  _Adrien._ The most handsome, most wonderful, most terrifically  _perfect_  person on the entire planet. His smile is breathtaking. She thinks,  _I love him I love him oh god I love him._

“H-Hi.” 

 _Oh._  Her mouth somehow started working before her brain fully re-booted, and now she’s internally cringing, because ‘h-hi’ is not cool or cute. So she restarts, shifting her weight on her feet nervously as she does.

“Good weather d-day – uh, today.”  _Oh gosh, what am I saying?_  “Er.”

And Adrien, wonderful, blessed, lovely Adrien only smiled and nods. He’s a godsend. She doesn’t know if he’s acknowledging the only understandable part of what she’s just said or if he’s just trying to move the conversation forward out of pity, but either way, it’s totally fine with her. 

“Yeah, it is.” He looks up, green, positively _dreamy_  eyes scanning above him. “It’s a nice, blue sky.”

“Yeah,” she agrees, latching onto his sentence like a lifeline. “It’s really… uhm…”  _Think of a good reply, think of a good reply, think of a good reply, think of a good reply!_ “… Clear.”

 _Clear?_ _Clear??? That’s all I could come up with? **Clear???**_

Adrien nods, then chuckles. And yeah, she’s maybe a little embarrassed by her poor conversation skills when it comes to her crush, but the sound of his soft laughter is louder than fireworks and more beautiful than the bells of Notre Dame.

“Yeah, I guess it is,” he says. “You’ve got a special way of seeing things, Marinette. A good way.” 

“Ah.” Now’s her chance to redeem herself. “Y-Yeah, because the sky is pretty, and there are no clouds, so that means clear and… W-Well, obviously that’s what clear means, I’m sure you knew that. O-Oh! But you see the sky good too– well – I mean, of course you– What I meant was, th-that I think you’re special– Uh, your seeing is special–”  _Oh no. Oh no no no no no what’s coming out of my mouth why am I babbling what am I saying oh my god no–_

She backtracks. What had he said to her again?  _“You’ve got a special way of seeing things, Marinette.”_

“Th-Thanks.”

That’s the best response she can come up with.

It’s the response Adrien must have wanted, though, because he grins from ear to ear and pats her on the shoulder. “You’re welcome,” he says. “And thank  _you._ ”

“Mmm.” His hand is warm, and she knows she’s probably got a totally goofy smile on her face, but she doesn’t care, because there’s laughter glinting in Adrien’s green, green eyes, and his grin is all for her. 

He turns and starts up the steps to their school, and she thinks she might want to just stay and stand here and admire him while re-living their words for the rest of her life, but then he turns around expectantly, and so, red-faced and overflowing with pure, unrestrained happiness, she rushes to his side.


	3. Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If she cuddles closer to him than she'd normally let herself, well, she'd blame it on the fact that she was cold and very, very tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> iii: Cuddle: ⑴ to hold (someone or something) in your arms in order to show affection ⑵ to lie or sit close together

It’s cold, and Marinette is very, very tired.

She’s so cold and tired, in fact, that it takes her a few moments to register Chat Noir’s arms enveloping her, pulling her close to him. She stiffens, but doesn’t pull away, because hey, he’s warm, and it’s a brief reprieve from their freezing surroundings.

Still, she can’t just let this breach of general conduct on his part go unnoticed. “What are you doing?” she asks, her arms lifting to lightly rest against his own. 

“Keeping warm,” Chat replies simply, pulling her closer. As if to prove his intentions, Chat’s body shivers against hers. Their superhero outfits are fairly well-insulated, but it’s December, there’s ice on the roads and rooftops, and there’s a really, really heavy snowstorm buffeting them at the moment. She acknowledges that it was probably not their brightest idea to go on a rooftop-hopping patrol tonight, but neither of them can ever bring themselves to willingly neglect their duties to protect the people of Paris, bad weather or not. 

So Ladybug nods against Chat Noir’s shoulder, and then pulls away.

“Let’s at least find someplace warmer.” They’re only a few blocks from her place, but she doesn’t want to go there for two reasons: 1) she absolutely  _cannot_  let Chat Noir discover her secret identity, and 2) she doubts they can safely leave this building’s roof without getting hurt in the storm. Her eyes fall on the doorway leading into the rest of the building, and she pulls Chat towards it. Visibility is bad and getting worse by the second, so they hastily yank open the door and slam it closed behind them with great effort. Some snow makes it through anyways, piling at their feet and dusting their hair and outfits.

They find themselves in what looks like an apartment stairwell. It’s so much  _warmer_ inside this building than it is outside. Her own body shivers at the sudden temperature change, so she pulls Chat down two flights (away from any remnants of snow or chill) before sitting down on the steps. Chat follows suit, and upon noticing the way she’s got her arms wrapped around herself, gently pulls her close to his body again.

His warmth is  _wonderful._  She can’t help but snuggle closer to him, and he laughs softly, a soft rumble in his chest that resonates in her own, sending another shiver through her body for a very different reason.

“You’re actually warming up to  _me_  for a change!” he says, voice full of light-hearted teasing. 

“Don’t get used to it,” she replies, smiling. She stays like that, his arms wrapped around her, her own hands pressed against his chest. His heartbeat is fast at first, but gradually calms down, until they’re both breathing in sync, and it reminds her of how well they fight and complement each other in battle, how well they banter and laugh with each other outside of it.

She doesn’t realize she’s drifting to sleep until she feels Chat’s drowsy head rest lightly against the top of her own. He nuzzles into her hair, and suddenly Marinette is very,  _very_  awake. She’s never been this close to a boy before, not one her age, anyways, and his breathing is soft and his body is warm and strong, and she feels both safe and on edge in his embrace, because she knows he would never hurt her, but there’s something stirring in her chest that makes her worry, anyways. She doesn’t want to rouse him by pulling away, but her heart rate is starting to pick up, and she’s all too aware of the lazy way his arms are wrapped around her shoulders and waist.

After a few moments of wide-eyed panic and her heart going  _thump-thump-thump_  in her chest, she decides to quell her flaring emotions, close her eyes, and settle down for a nap.

And if she cuddles closer to him than she’d normally deem necessary, and he snuggles closer to her in his sleep than she’d normally let him do while awake, well, she’ll blame it on the fact that it’s cold, and she’s very, very tired.


	4. Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She turns fifteen tomorrow.
> 
> What a shame she has to spend the night before her birthday with such a wonderfully annoying cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> iv: Date: ⑴ a numbered day in a month ⑵ a person with whom one attends a social, romantic outing with

She turns fifteen tomorrow.

What a shame she has to spend the night before her birthday with such an annoyingly forward cat.

Marinette would have huffed from frustration, but she keeps her thoughts to herself. It wouldn’t do for Chat Noir to notice her mood; he would only agitate it further by bombarding her with questions about what had upset her. She puts on a fake smile instead and turns to go through their routine post-Akuma  fist-bump. But even if her hand is outstretched and here, her mind is nine blocks away, inside her room, curling up into her bed in anticipation of the next day.

Unfortunately, Chat Noir is nothing if not astute. He picks up on every remote emotion that flashes through her eyes, every second of hesitance in her movements. He always does, and tonight is no different.

“Ladybug? What’s wrong?” he asks. “You don’t look too happy.”

She rolls her eyes at his concern. “I’m just tired,” she says. And it’s not a complete lie, either. It’s approaching midnight, and she wants nothing more than to hurry home and nestle into the warm covers of her bed. But she also just wants to spend the remainder of her life as a fourteen-year-old without having to deflect Chat Noir’s incessant advances. “I have plans tomorrow.”

“I would expect nothing less from my beautiful Lady,” Chat Noir replied. “I’ve got things to do tomorrow, too. We’re throwing a surprise party for one of my classmates.” Excitement crept into his voice as he spoke the last sentence, and it caught Marinette’s attention. She smiled.

“Party, huh?” she asked. Her thoughts went to her own birthday. It was a quiet affair, where her parents strung up streamers and balloons in the bakery, Alya always bought her exactly what she wanted but hadn’t mentioned, and her red velvet birthday cake was decorated prettily in red and pink and always tasted delicious. She loved her small birthday parties, but this year, Alya had said she had to stay home to watch her siblings, and her parents were going out of town to take part in a baking fair. “Sounds fun.”

“It will be,” Chat Noir said, sure of himself. “We made sure that everything will go off without a hitch. Unless,” he added with a laugh, “an Akuma attacks or something.”

“I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised that you’re so social without the mask, too,” Ladybug teased. “I’m sure your friend will be pleased.”

“I hope so,” Chat said. “She doesn’t have a clue. It’s gonna be small – just three of us, her parents, and her – but I really hope she likes it.” Chat’s smile was gentle, and Marinette’s own heart fluttered a bit, and she wanted to ask why he was smiling so softly for this classmate, but then she realized she shouldn’t really care. Chat looked up, meeting Marinette’s eyes. “So what are you doing tomorrow?”

She groaned. “You deliberately told me your plans because you wanted to know mine, didn’t you?” Chat Noir shrugged. She opened her mouth to respond, but found her words caught in her throat. Should she tell Chat her birthday was tomorrow? But then he might pry even more, or invite her to his friend’s party. But then again, he looked like he was just genuinely curious about her weekend plans, and besides, it didn’t matter if he knew her birthday, did it?

“My birthday is –” she glanced down at her yo-yo to catch the time and was surprised to see it was a few minutes past midnight already “–today.”

“What?” Chat’s smile broadened. “Happy birthday, Ladybug!”

She shrugged., smiling back. “Thanks.”

“I hope you get everything you asked for.”

She shook her head. “Not tomorrow. My parents are going out of town, and my friend can’t make it.”

Chat’s eyes softened sympathetically.

“Nobody to celebrate with you, huh?” he asked. She nodded. “I’m sorry. My dad never celebrates my birthday with me, either.” He glances around quickly as Ladybug’s earrings beep. “I don’t have to be with my friend until tomorrow evening, so if you meet me here tomorrow at noon, I’ll take you somewhere.”

Ladybug blinked, surprised by his gesture. “You don’t have to, Chat,” she replied. “I’ll be okay.”

“I’m sure you will be,” he said, “But I insist, my Lady.”

She smiled. As long as she was in costume, she didn’t mind spending time with Chat outside fighting Akuma. Besides, spending her birthday alone in the bakery would be horribly boring and disheartening; “Okay.”

Chat grinned and bowed.

“It’s a date, then.” She let out a tsk-ing noise at his choice of words, but there was laughter in her eyes and in the upward curling of her lips. “Happy birthday, my Lady!” With that, Chat Noir leapt away, easily fading into the darkness brought by moonlit nights and midnight shadows .

Something warm and fuzzy filled her heart, and she couldn’t keep the grin off her face.

“It’s a date, kitty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are all Parisians today.
> 
> I have a friend in Paris. I'm glad she's safe, but there are so many who weren't and aren't. Please send prayers and good vibes to all the people of France.


	5. Essential

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was the most important person in his whole world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> v: Essential: ⑴ extremely important and necessary ⑵ very basic

She was the most fundamental purpose for his existence.

Her laugh, her smile, the way she looked when she was breathless from running. The way the moonlight glinted off her dark hair. 

The way her eyes shined like two bright blue orbs of unending skies.

The way her face lit up when she realized how to use her Lucky Charm to defeat an Akuma. The way she moved in battle, her limbs tantalizing lightning as they stuck her foes. 

The way she absolutely  _glowed_  when she met his eyes and outstretched fist with her own after it all was said and done.

He couldn’t imagine living without her. She was his everything. He loved her so much, spent so long pining over her, waiting for the right time to confess his love. Holding back when he discovered she was in love with someone else.

He would fight alongside her. He would do his part. He would die for her, if that’s what it took. His bad luck was, at least against Akuma, a lucky thing, and he could put it to good use for the girl of his dreams. He would make sure nothing bad ever happened to her. He would die for her, if that’s what it took. He’d taken blows meant for her on more than one occasion, and he knew he would take even more in the future. She was well worth it, well worth any bruise or pain or scar.

Because she was, simply put, the most important person in his whole world, and he loved her. He _loved_  her. It was as simple as that. He didn’t need her to love him back for that simple fact to hold true. He would love her forever, because she was his sunshine, his starlight, his princess, his lady, and so,  _so_  much more than words could possibly ever do her justice.

She was essential to his life.

It was just that simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love you guys! Wrote this while drinking some smirnoff, lol. Still waiting on the pizza I ordered to get here tho :/ Lameeeeee. But hey, it got you guys an update!
> 
> xoxoPigTails


	6. Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe someday, he'll think of sewing and midnight crepes and home sweet home when he smells freshly baked bread, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vi: Food ⑴ something that nourishes, sustains, or supplies

There's nothing quite like coming home to the scent of freshly-baked bread.

That's what Marinette thinks, anyways, as she bursts into the bottom floor of her house. It serves as the family's bakery, and she sees her mother glance up and smile at her as she passes under the doorway. From the kitchens in the back, her father spots her and waves, and she's sure her friends can hear his bellowing laugh as they trail in behind her.

She smiles, taking a moment to bask in the cozy aroma of the bakery; whenever she smells freshly baked bread, she thinks of the words 'sewing,' 'midnight crepes' and 'home sweet home.'

"I brought my friends," she calls to her parents.

"Wonderful!" her mother replies, taking a moment to smile genuinely at her daughter's company before returning her attention to a customer. "I'll have your father bring some snacks up to your room in a bit, sweetheart."

Alya throws her arm around Marinette's shoulder, glances nonchalantly over her shoulder at Nino and Adrien trailing behind them, and mumbles into her best friend's ear. "You  _might_  wanna take down those posters."

Marinette turns scarlet, letting out an "Eep!" before rushing up the stairs; she's halfway up them before she hurries back down, eyes wide, and asks, "You'll cover for me?"

Alya laughs and nods, and Marinette darts up to her room.

* * *

"Sorry, I had to clean up a bit," Marinette says, and she can  _literally_  see Alya try and fail to hold back a chuckle. It's not a lie, though, technically.

"That's all right," Nino says. "This is kinda out-of-the-blue anyways, so it's not like you have to be the most prepared."

Marinette's eyes fall on Adrien, who is taking in her room with mildly interested green eyes. His eyes pass harmlessly along the walls that had only moments before held glaring evidence of her crush on him, and he nods approvingly.

That sets giddy butterflies off in her stomach.

"We can sit on the rug," Marinette says, distracting herself by thinking of how to best arrange her room for four people to comfortably study in. "We just have to move the table a bit, and then everyone can grab a cushion to sit on."

They finally settle down, and a quiet atmosphere falls over them, entirely pleasant in its warmth. Marinette's drumming heart tones it down, and she's able to focus on her reading for Mme. Mendeleiev's chemistry project. They have to present a summary of the assigned research paper on ion transport channels at the end of the week, and so the group decided to pull an impromptu study session.

Alya had volunteered working at a cafe, but Marinette decided that her place would be cozier. Besides, they wouldn't have to pay for food and drinks at her place. Score.

About forty minutes into working, a knock on her door breaks the silence. Her father comes in, bringing a tray full of breads and cheeses and cookies. She and her friends thank him profusely, and once he leaves, they unanimously decide to take a snack break.

"This is good," Nino says, after popping what has to be his fourth cookie into his mouth.

"Marinette's family bakery is the best-kept secret in all of Paris," Alya replies. "It's the best!"

"Mhm." Marinette's heart skips a beat as her head swivels to see Adrien nodding. He's just polished off a slice of french bread, and he smiles at her. "It's delicious."

_Oh, this is it. this is how I join my ancestors in Heaven,_  she thinks. _And when they ask why I'm there when I'm only fourteen years old, I'll tell them that I died of a heart attack because_ _ **he just smiled at me oh my god**_ _._  Her hands cup at her chest, like she's trying to keep her heart from bursting out.

"Thank you," she chokes out. She swears Adrien's eyes linger on her for a moment too long to be normal, and then he turns his attention back to the food.

"So, about the transport chain," he says, reaching for a piece of cheese. Alya launches into an enthusiastic explanation of her understanding of their reading, and Marinette gulps hard, doing her best to gather herself in spite of sweaty palms and thoughts of heart attacks from dreamy smiles.

* * *

Later, Adrien announces he has to leave, and Marinette jumps at the chance to walk him out. They make idle chatter, made a little awkward by Marinette's word-fumbling, and she nearly faints on the spot when he holds the bakery door open for her.

"Thanks for letting us come," Adrien says as he stops outside the doorway. The door closes with a jingling of a bell. "It was really nice."

"No problem," Marinette replied, smiling as brightly as she can.

"Tell your parents their baking is delicious," he says. And then his grin is wide and sparkling and Marinette is stunned when he continues, "It really feels like coming home when you walk through that bakery door."

She barely registers his wave, barely responds with one of her own, and then he's gone, his limousine turning around the corner, and she stares after it for what must be hours.

And then, with a smile on her face, she turns around and opens up those doors that hold the gateway to home.

She thinks that maybe someday, he'll think of sewing and midnight crepes and home sweet home when he smells freshly baked bread, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: I like food. Food is a good idea for a drabble. Yum.


	7. Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Most people don’t get to stay over at their crush’s house for an impromptu sleepover. But she can’t go home in that hailstorm, and honestly, she doesn’t feel inclined to in the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vii: Guest ⑴ a person who is invited to visit or stay in the home of, or take part in a function organized by, another (given by a tumblr anon)

“Marinette?”

_Concern. That is CONCERN lacing his tone oh my god he DOES care--_

“Marinette, are you okay?”

_Oh. **Oh.**  Right. Answer. Uhm. Okay. Just ignore his eyes, and you can say... say..._

“H-huh?” Beat. “Oh! Yes, I’m fine.”

Adrien didn’t look even a teeny bit convinced of that. He was frowning, eyes looking her over for any sign of something wrong, and she blushed harder.

_Why do I always stutter?_  she lamented mentally.  _I can’t even flirt with him if I stutter! This is terrible. I’ve got it so bad I can’t even **flirt with my crush!** Where’s my Ladybug luck when I need it?_

“I-I’m fine, Adrien,” she managed to squeak out. “R-Really.”

He stared at her for a second longer before shrugging. “If you say so,” he replied, his voice still containing an ounce of worry in it. “Anyways, let me show you to a guest room.”

“Okay!” Internally, she applauded herself for finally managing to sound (almost) normal. Adrien turned around, and after not-so-subtly admiring the view, she followed him through his mansion. While walking, she thanked her lucky stars that the weather had turned so bad so suddenly while she’d been visiting to work on a physics project with her crush. Adrien had taken one look out the window at the raging hailstorm outside and declared it utterly unsafe for her to leave, because those pieces of hail were huge, so she would be staying over, and it was no problem, really, Marinette, don’t worry about it, this place is big enough for the both of us and our entire graduating class, but he didn’t want her getting hurt, so she was staying, and that was that. (It was around that part of the conversation that Marinette had been distracted by the realization that she was literally trapped indoors with Adrien Agreste, and wow, this was a dream come true.)

Adrien led her up a large stairwell, and then down what felt like a mile-long hallway before stopping at a door and turning to her with a soft ( _heartmelting_ ) smile.

“Here it is,” he told her, and opened the door. She trailed in after him to find a room three times larger than hers at home, complete with a king-sized bed with draperies around it. “I figured you’d like this room, since the curtains are pink.”

She gaped. He knew she liked pink! (Granted, she almost always wore something pink to school, but still. He’d noticed!)

“Th-thanks.” Alas, the stutter was back. She nearly cringed, but managed to restrain herself. 

“No problem.” He waved her back over to the hallway. “Besides, it’s convenient, since this is my wing, too.” He grinned almost shyly at her and pointed to the door opposite hers. “I’m right over here.”

“Oh!” She was going to overheat if this boy kept it up. He was so kind, and the way he was smiling was so cute and he looked so very wonderful. 

She wanted to kiss him.

She settled for saying “Thank you” instead.

He left her after a few more minutes of talking, but she could swear she felt his presence more acutely than ever before, just a few meters away across the hall.


	8. Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She holds his heart in the palm of her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> viii: Hand ⑴ the end part of a person’s arm beyond the wrist, including the palm, fingers, and thumb

He’s been smitten since the very first time she fluttered into his life, but he can’t exactly pinpoint  _when_  he started to love her so absolutely. 

Little things that she did, maybe, like smiling, or striking a pose, or calling his name; they might have caused it. Or maybe it’s the faint scent of vanilla that always wafts from her hair. He doesn’t know for sure. It all happened so gradually, but also so quickly, and before he knew it, his heart would race whenever he caught sight of red ribbons and dark pigtails, whenever he caught a whiff of vanilla, and all he wanted was for her to like him back, oh please,  _please_  like me back. 

He has no clue why he fell in love with her.

All he knows is that he does love her, and he falls deeper in love with her every time he looks into her fathomless, sky-blue eyes. She’s beautiful in everything she does. When she speaks, it’s music to his ears; when she moves, he’s captivated; when she fights, he thinks she might be dancing, because every step she takes has a purpose behind it, and it’s like she’s rehearsed it a thousand times. When she smiles, her eyes crinkle just a bit, and he loves that. When she laughs, she covers her mouth with her hands sometimes, and his eyes are inexplicably drawn to her pretty, red lips, and then the lone spot on the back of the red fabric on her hand.

He makes it a point to hold her hands as often as he possibly can. Because they’re warm, and they’re safe, and holding her for even a second feels like holding the most precious thing in the world, and he’s all too aware of how small her hand is, but how it also molds perfectly into his own. It’s like they were  _meant_  to hold hands. He feels a sharp jolt, electrifying in every sense of the word, whenever their hands brush, and the ensuing rush of desire is impossible to ignore. So he doesn’t hold back, and he takes her hand in his as much as he’s able to, before she catches on to him and retracts her hand.

She always pulls away, and whenever she does, she takes a little piece of his heart with her. 

He thinks, hopes beyond hope, that maybe she’ll give him bits of hers, too, someday. 


	9. Iguana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salmonella poisoning is bad, kids. uwu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ix: Iguana - ⑴ a large, arboreal, tropical American lizard with a spiny crest along the back and greenish coloration, occasionally kept as a pet.

Every year, over winter break, Mme. Mendeleiev let a volunteer student take Charro home with them. On the last day of school before break began, Happy would be carefully placed in his enormous, newly-cleaned cage and subsequently carted home by whoever volunteered to take him for the break. Mme. Mendeleiev saw it as the perfect opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience with caring for animals and furthering their understanding of biology.

So, a week before winter break, Mme. Mendeleiev took Charro out of his cage and placed him upon her desk, allowing the students to gather around and examine him while she lectured on how to care for him and other reptiles of his species.

“If you volunteer to take him, he is your responsibility,” she said, wrapping up her explanation. “But the rewards will be well worth it.” She picked the creature back up carefully, put him back in his cage, and waved her hands to her class. “Don’t forget to wash once you’ve touched or played with him. Iguanas are known to carry salmonella.” She turned and, before exiting the room, called over her shoulder. “If you’re considering taking him over the break, let me know when I come back.”

The moment the door closed behind Mme. Mendeleiev, Chloe let out a sound of disgust, approaching the cage.

“I can’t believe anyone would want to take care of something like _you!_ ” She made a face at the creature, who stared up lazily at her, not even bothering to lift his head. Chloe scoffed, shook her head, and returned to her seat. “Disgusting.”

“Wow, what a pest,” Alya muttered under her breath to Marinette beside her. The two girls returned to their seats, but not before smiling and waving as they passed Charro’s cage. 

“He’s not _that_ bad,” Marinette agreed. “I would take him home, but we can’t risk a salmonella outbreak at the bakery.”

“That’s understandable, though,” Alya assured her. “Don’t worry, though. I’m sure whoever takes Charro home will treat him as well as he deserves.” She cleared her throat loudly. “Now, about winter break….”

Nino turned in his seat, having overheard Alya. “What’re ya talking about?” he asked curiously. Adrien also turned around, smiling sweetly at Marinette, who blushed deeply and turned her attention a little _too_ intently upon her friend beside her.

“Oh, just our plans over break,” Alya said. Marinette nodded her head vigorously. “We haven’t really decided on anything. How about you, boys?”

Nino shrugged. “I’m staying in town. My family’s here.”

Adrien nodded. “There’s usually a bit more modeling to do, but I’ll still have free time.”

Alya grinned, and Marinette just knew that her friend had been waiting for something like this to come up in the conversation.

“Well, if you’re not too busy, why don’t we all spend some time together?” she asked. “We could make a trip to the Grand Roue!”

Adrien’s eyes lit up, his grin widening excitedly; Nino’s expression matched his friend’s. 

“Yeah, we totally should!” Nino agreed. “I’m sure they’ll have some food and games around it, too.”

“Yeah,” Marinette said, nodding. She ducked her head when Adrien looked up at her. “I-I mean… L-Lights and trees and nice, romantic – and, just–” She trailed off with a dreamy sigh.

“It’ll be beautiful,” Alya translated. “I’m in if everyone else is!”

When the boys agreed enthusiastically, Alya and Marinette shared glances of excitement.

This was going to be a great Christmas.

* * *

Adrien had always wanted a pet.

He’d never had one, of course. (Unless Plagg counted, but he was more of a cheese-guzzling moocher, in Adrien’s mind.) His life was so busy, and he didn’t feel right leaving a cat or dog alone in that cold, lonely mansion. ( _He_ didn’t like being alone there; he couldn’t imagine how much worse it would be for something so much smaller and weaker than him to be left to wander the eerily empty halls all day.) 

But an iguana wouldn’t mind, right? It’s not like it needed to be taken out on a walk everyday, either. So he asked Mme. Mendeleiev after class if he could take Charro home. He wasn’t the only one; Rose, Kim and Mylene also asked after he did. He tried not to hope too hard; she had asked whether he had experience with pets, and while he had admitted that he had none, his classmates all did.

And so, Adrien was absolutely thrilled when Mme. Mendeleiev pulled him aside before class the next day to tell him she trusted him enough to take care of Charro over winter break.

So here he was, having carted the iguana home and placed him in a warmer corner of him room. He’d fed and cared for the (way overweight, he’d discovered after taking it to the vet for a check-up) iguana for a whole week now. Charro wasn’t a social creature, to be sure, but Adrien didn’t mind. He would curl up on a cushion nearby the cage and read a good book; Charro would also settle down, curling up and drifting to sleep as Adrien turned page after page.

After the third day of being home and sitting so close, it was almost natural for Adrien to reach out and absent-mindedly stroke the iguana.

Charro didn’t pull away; he nuzzled into Adrien’s hand, which had startled Adrien at first, and then, gradually, the iguana’s eyes would flutter closed, his breathing even out, and Adrien would realize he had pet the iguana to sleep.

He laughed, along with Plagg, who got along surprisingly well with Charro, and then would stand and wash his hands.

The day came when he and his friends planned on visiting the Place de la Concorde and riding the ferris wheel. Adrien didn’t need to leave until ten in the morning to meet with his friends, but he was up by seven, adjusted to waking up early to make the most of his time at photoshoots. He decided to spend his extra time reading. 

Adrien took up his place by Charro’s side, settling comfortably beside the iguana’s cage and reaching out to gently run his hand against the creature’s surprisingly warm surface. Charro, roused momentarily, leaned over to nudge his head under Adrien’s hand. Then the iguana drifted back to sleep. For about an hour, everything was calm. 

Then Adrien heard a crash outside. He jerked up, glanced at Charro to make sure he hadn’t woken him (he hadn’t), and then hurried to see what was happening.

It was an Akuma, barreling through the road passing in front of his place; the movement was enough to shake the foundation of the mansion’s floor. Adrien transformed and leaped into action, chasing the Akuma. Ladybug appeared shortly afterwards, and after announcing that she was in a hurry, summoned her Lucky Charm. Cat decided to buy her some time, and kept the Akuma distracted long enough for Ladybug to grab the Akuma and purify it, returning everything to normal.

Adrien bid Ladybug farewell and hurried home.

It was almost ten, and he had somewhere to be.

* * *

Well, it figured he’d have bad luck, even when out of costume.

It was approaching midnight. His stomach was starting to bother him, and on top of that, he was just about to board a car on the ferris wheel with Marinette right before the Roue closed down for the night when an Akuma sprang out of nowhere, turned a few gears on the wheel to bring it to a creaking, jolting halt, and declared that nobody else would be riding a ferris wheel or any carnival ride ever again. 

Adrien would have groaned if he wasn’t pushing Marinette away to hurry and run; she did, glancing concernedly back at Nino and Alya, who were stuck on the ferris wheel. He didn’t have to try too hard to lose his cute classmate; the crowds were huge, and it was all too easy to let her hand be swept away from his. He fell back, ducked behind an abandoned food stall, and transformed.

He hopped across booths and buildings to go back the way he came. His stomach lurched suddenly, though, and Ladybug arrived at his side just in time to see him clutching helplessly at his tummy while he spewed his guts out.

“Chat, don’t push yourself if you’re sick!” she admonished.

“I’m fine,” he managed after catching his breath.

“Don’t expect any feel-better kisses from me now, Kitty,” she teased, lightening the mood, and despite the pain in his stomach, Adrian laughed. “Let’s hurry and get rid of that thing so you can go home and rest!”

He hardly remembered the battle that ensued, only that it ended quickly, and after declining their usual fist-bump to make sure Ladybug didn’t catch whatever he had, Cat rushed to find a quiet, deserted spot to de-transform.

After doing so, he met up with his friends, doing his best to hide his stomach pain by refraining from talking.

Alya and Nino were gushing about how terrifically terrifying it was to be trapped on a rookedy ferris wheel together, and how lucky they were Ladybug and Cat showed up when they did, but all Adrien managed to catch was Marinette apologizing for losing him in the crowd.

He shrugged it off, telling her what mattered was they were all safe.

“Aww, but what a bummer, you guys didn’t even get to ride!” Alya said, patting Marinette consolingly on the back.

“I’m just glad everyone’s s-safe,” Marinette said. She smiled brightly at him, her face turning pink under the moonlight, and for a second, the reddish tinge almost looked like--

Pain shot through his stomach, a wave of nausea hitting him like a truck, and it was all Adrien could do to keep upright. His friends crowded around him, concerned, but it was Marinette’s worried voice that stuck out the most to him.

“Adrien, what’s wrong?”

“St-Stomach ache,” he managed. “Musta eaten something... Bad...” He pushed past his friends and found a trash can to lean over, moaning, and soothing hands rubbed circles on his back as he waited for the world to stop spinning. “Ugh...”

“Adrien, I think you should go home.” He turned and found himself looking right into Marinette’s concerned, blue eyes. “You’re in no shape to keep going for the night.”

He felt disapointment wash over him.

“I just don’t want to ruin everyone’s night,” he admitted quietly, so only she could hear him.

Marinette sighed.

“You could never do that,” she replied. He looked at her, _really_ looked at her, and found that he liked the way her cheeks flushed when she noticed him staring. “Come on, let’s... Let’s get you h-home.” 

“Okay,” he said softly, and even though his stomach hurt and he’d embarrassed himself in front of Ladybug by barfing all over the place, he thought he might have some good luck, after all.

As his limousine pulled up in front of him to take him home, and he turned to wave at his friends, he recalled the day they’d started planning their outing together.

And then his eyes widened, and he groaned, shaking his head as his palm met his forehead.

“Adrien?” Marinette squeaked, stepping out from between Nino and Alya to approach him. He waved a hand in front of him, showing he was fine.

“I just...” He laughed. “Charro.”

Marinette blinked, and he could see the perplexed gleam in her eyes, but behind her, Nino started laughing, too. Alya gasped.

“You didn’t wash your hands!” she stage-whispered, and then it was Marinette’s turn to gasp lightly.

“Oh!” She pressed her lips together, looking up at him, with only a glint of amusement in her eyes. “T-The iguana.”

“Yeah,” Adrien responded. It had been right before the Akuma attack, too; he hadn’t washed his hands before heading out to fight, and he hadn’t washed them on returning, either, too eager to meet up with his friends. “I’ll visit a doctor tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Marinette mumbled, stepping back. Then she smiled at him, and for a brief moment, all the pain went away. “G-Get well soon!” 

Then she stepped forward and pressed a kiss onto his cheek, before turning around and throwing herself into Alya’s arms.

He couldn’t keep the smile or ensuing blush off his face as he waved.

“I will,” he told her. “See you guys later.”

And yeah, he might have thrown up not even a minute later, but Adrien thought Marinette’s get-well kiss was just as effective as the one Ladybug jokingly refused to give him.


	10. Joyride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's blinding, and even if that flusters her, she never wants this joyride of feelings to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> x. Joyride: ⑴ a ride in a car or aircraft ⑵ a ride taken for pleasure
> 
>  
> 
> Prompt given by kitkat-whirlgirl. (Psst, miraculousturtle, i felt bad for not letting them ride the ferris wheel together, so... here they are.)

Being with him is amazing.

Marinette basks in Adrien Agreste's presence, but she tends to wilt under his gaze. Still, as she sits across from him, after waiting for an hour in the long line for riding the Grand Roue, she thinks she might melt from bliss. If he's the sun, then she's the sunflower that just can't get enough of him, bending towards him and soaking in his entirety: warm clothes for the cold weather, blue scarf she made for him, blonde hair decorated with confetti snow, head turned to look out at Paris as they slowly make their way higher above the city.

He's everything she could ever ask for and more.

"Paris looks good in white," he asks her suddenly, turning to meet her gaze. His eyes are bright despite the sun having set already, and under the moonlight, an incredibly beautiful shade of green. "Don't you think so?"

Ah. Suddenly, too much sunlight, and not enough water. Her throat is dry. His gaze is overwhelming, searing, and her cheeks burn.

Marinette nods, because speaking isn't something she can handle right now.

And then, oh God, he  _smiles._

Her world turns upside down. Her heart takes off, sprinting as fast as it can, and it leaves her breathless in its wake. It's like the skies open, and the drought is quenched by a rainstorm, a cloudburst of immeasurable proportions. His smile is big and bright and glowing, and he's perfect, Adrien Agreste is perfect, and she is head over heels in love.

She's buried so deep she can never be uprooted, and that's fine. Because she's a flower, and he's her life, her everything.

Then he looks back out at Paris, green eyes searching for something along the horizon. Her eyes follow his after taking in the intensity in his eyes, but all she sees is Paris, Paris covered in snow and wholly radiant with holiday lights and late-night shops open for business two days before Christmas.

She glances back at Adrien; he's still staring out, eyes beginning to squint. She wants to ask what he's looking for, what makes his eyes gleam with such an intense emerald fire, but the words are trapped on her tongue, and hesitation floods through her veins. It's nerves, and she can't quell them when she's around him, not completely, so she purses her lips and keeps quiet, too afraid to risk spoiling this moment for bumbling sentences strung together by nonsense words.

He looks back at her, and she's frozen in place suddenly, because he still has that great green fire burning in his eyes, and it's scorching, absolutely scorching, and she loses any train of thought she had going on, and it's replaced only with his eyes, staring back into her own.

"Marinette?" he says, softly, and with a start, she realizes he said her name.

Emotions come flooding back, all at once, heart beating a mile a minute, and she tries to think, think coherently, not jaggedly, what to say, what to say-

"Yes?" She says, softer than him, and it's laced with fear and hope and everything she's never wanted and everything she always has. It's not quiet, at the very top of the ferris wheel; she's always imagined being at the top of the wheel with Adrien would be a glittering moment, something to remember forever, but the ferris wheel doesn't stop when they reach the top, and the wind is whistling in her ears, and the wheel keeps going, arching slowly, slowly back to Earth as silence envelopes their car.

Then, his voice, cutting clearly through the wind and cold.

"Thank you for spending today with me."

 _Warmth_. No matter how scorching or scarce it may be, sunlight is always warm. It warms her to the core, sending shivers down her spine. It's like she's stolen a car she barrels down at ninety miles per hour, totally lost and also thrilled to be taking such an amazing, high-risk joyride, because Adrien Agreste is the love of her life, and every second she spends around him is another ten thousand times more she's in love with him.

And just this once, she knows exactly what to say.

"It was fun." She smiles, and before losing herself in his green eyes, adds, "I loved it."  _I love you._

He smiles softly back, and even though the moon is high above them, she's blinded by the light as the ferris wheel slows to a stop to let them off.

Instead of ending the night there, Adrien asks if she wants to come grab a late-night snack with him. She agrees, fumbling through her words all the way.

Even if her emotions and speech are a total trainwreck, Marinette doesn't want this joyride to ever end.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So every end of semester, my choir hands out silly-named awards to everyone in the group, right? Mine was the Soprano section's "Secret Weapon," because when the prof goes all firing squad on us and calls us out randomly to sing a part on our own, I always get it right. :P lol.  
> Finals are almost done, so expect some more updates soon!  
> xoxoPigTails


	11. Kittens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home was always cozy with those four.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> xi: Kittens ⑴ young cats
> 
> Prompt given by @meltedjujubees ^w^
> 
> EDIT: big thanks to AngelofGrace96 for pointing out an error. I was mortified. Thank you thank you thank you!!

 

Afternoons were always cozy in Marinette's house.

  
It was partly why she took advantage of her lunch break to head home. She worked hard on drafts of her latest fashion designs, and at thirty-four years of age, with the blessing of Gabriel Agreste and the resources that came with it, she had a successful career and a promising future within the fashion industry.  Still, working tirelessly on design after design could be exhausting, and Marinette found that heading home for lunch was a great way to refresh and relax herself.  
  
She dove through the entranceway of her house. It was larger then her parent's bakery, but not by too much; inside, a few plants decorated the doorways and passages, and bright lighting bathed the entire house in friendly golden glows.  
  
The important thing was that it was cozy, just like home should be.  
  
Marinette sighed as the front door closed behind her, taking her shoes off and reaching up to run a hand through her black, loose hair.  
  
"I'm home," she called into the quiet.  
  
She didn't wait for a response; she headed straight for the kitchen, a grin on her face.  
  
"Welcome back," Adrien Agreste said, meeting her halfway. His hair was just as golden as it had been in their youth, though he'd opted to let it be free from the constraints of gel since their __collège_ _ days. His emerald eyes were as warm as ever, reflecting the same contentment she felt seeing him again.  
  
It was routine for her to walk straight into his arms, and so she did. They hugged for a few moments, and when they pulled apart Adrien leaned down to lightly kiss her lips. This was also routine, and after many, many years of it, Marinette had mostly gotten over the giddy butterflies it set off in her stomach.  
  
"Hey, kitty." She grinned up at her husband while he casually slipped an arm around her waist, and together, they made their way into the kitchen.  
  
"My Lady," Adrien replied automatically. "Did you decide if you're going with chiffon or not?" he asked, referencing an earlier conversation they'd had that day. Marinette sighed dramatically. They both set about making lunch together; as superheroes, they worked together flawlessly, and that seamless teamwork easily translated into their many years of married life.  
  
"No," she replied. "It's a hard decision! The chiffon would look _so good_ , but on the other hand, using it would mean I'd have to re-work the bodice to make them fit together. Which isn't _hard_ or anything, just..." She shrugged. "I really like the bodice as is."  
  
"I'm sure you'll make it work," Adrien assured her, passing her a tray of sliced vegetables. "You always do, Marinette. Don't worry."  
  
"I can't help it!" she laughed. "Besides, it's--"  
  
"I'm home!"  
  
A blur of black hair and red garments whizzed past the kitchen doorway; moments later, Marinette heard the distinct sound of a bedroom door closing.  
  
"He doesn't even stop to give us hugs anymore," Adrien complained. "I miss those days."  
  
"He'll give you one when he comes down to eat," Marinette reassured her husband. "So you know my day has been spent languishing over satin. How's yours going?"  
  
Adrien grinned broadly.  
  
"One of my students brought me cookies today," he said. "She struggles a bit with physics, but she says it's her favorite subject."  
  
"Wow! Even in your thirties, you're still popular," Marinette teased. Adrien chuckled along with her good-naturedly.  
  
"Yup," he replied. "Your good luck's always rubbing off on me. I can handle the rest, Mari, if you want to go get that stingy boy."  
  
"I'll go tell him his dad wants his hug now," Marinette said, patting Adrien on the shoulder. Then she followed the hallway to the stairwell and went up, feet guiding her to her son's bedroom.  
  
"Hey, kitten," she called through the closed door. "Lunch is ready!"  
  
"Okay, just a second!" There was rustling from the other side of the door. A few seconds later, her son emerged from the room, short black hair falling messily to frame his face. Sky-blue met sky-blue; then, the boy wrapped his arms around his mother. She hugged him back tightly, smiling.  
  
"Getting homework done, Hugo?" Marinette asked as she pulled back. She and her son headed back downstairs together.  
  
"Yeah," the young man replied. "There's a lot due Friday, so I'm trying to work ahead."  
  
"Oh, that's a smart move," Marinette commented. "How much of it is for Dad's class?"  
  
"There's a physics project, but that's it. Mostly it's just reading for French and history."  
  
Marinette smiled widely as her son entered the kitchen and hugged his father. A short while later, a young girl and boy joined them at the table, talking animatedly about shared classes. Their brown hair fell wavily around them, but Marinette swore her twins were the spitting image of their father, especially whenever their green eyes shone with mischievous light.  
  
Adrien, not more than five minutes into the meal, somehow worked in a pun about bread, and while she and her children simultaneously groaned, she felt a spring of joy well up inside of her.  
  
Afternoons were always cozy in her house, and Marinette Agreste knew it had everything to do with her four favorite kitties.


	12. Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It strikes her like lightning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> xii: Later (1) afterward, subsequently, or at a time in the future. (Given by obsessedturtle on tumblr.)

It's impossible to keep the grin from Ladybug's face as the Miraculous Ladybugs return everything and everyone to normal. The purified butterfly travels gently away, soon out of sight, and Ladybug turns to her partner with a grin. He returns it, eyes glinting happily, and their fists meet.

“Bien joué,” they say in unison. _Well done_. A tradition of theirs that's important because they did it, and they're proud. She's proud, both of herself and her _chaton_ , and the fist-bump is a non-verbal way to show him exactly that: their eyes meet, and something electric passes through her, down her arm, and right back into his emerald green eyes, something she can only describe as magical.

And then her earrings beep, and she pulls her arm away. Ladybug's grin widens.

“Gotta go,” she says, stepping backwards. Chat Noir's Miraculous also beeps, and he nods.

“Same here,” he says. His eyes linger on her, drawing hers to meet them. “See you later, My Lady.”

Ladybug rolls her eyes, but the smile on her face betrays her. “Later, Chat Noir.” She turns around and takes off across the rooftops, heading back to class before the lunch break ends. She doesn't look back, but she knows he's probably watching her go with that sharp green gaze of his. She still tingles from the light shock that ran through her earlier.

Later, as Marinette sits in class, Adrien arrives late, and the contented smile on his face makes her swoon. She almost forgets the electricity of her earlier encounter, but when Adrien finally takes his seat, he turns around and smiles at her.

She doesn't need a fist-bump this time to feel it all over again, and it strikes all at once, like lightning.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm still here, don't worry! I had to work over the summer (lameeee) but now I'm back at college, and I'm going to try to finish this one by the end of the semester. Chapters will probably be much shorter though, my course-load is ouch. Also, from now on, I'm changing my siggie at the end of chapters, but I'll be keeping the old ones as is for archive (read: lazy) reasons.
> 
> Lemme know what you thought of this! Toodles, and remember to smile today :)
> 
> xoxo Misfire Ezreal


End file.
